Ask a local foodie who the sandwich maker/deli owner/chef of the moment is and they'll tell you it's Harrison Kho, or Harry for short.
His Harry's Deli, an Irvine office-park lunch stop, like I said in my recent review, is the busiest and buzziest sandwich shop in all of OC right now.
There's usually not enough seats during lunch time to fill demand; but Harry, who insists on making things from scratch (his mayo, his potato salad, his steak sandwiches, etc.) even as he gets slammed with more and more customers day-after-day, has somehow found the time to answer our silly questionnaire.
Enjoy the first part of our profile. Stay tuned for part two tomorrow! The third part, if Harry has it to spare, will be a recipe!
What are six words to describe your food?
Simple, Quality, Provocative, Hearty, Fuss-Free, Love.
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What are ten words to describe you?
Kooky, Eccentric, Goofy, Easy-Going, Chill, Loquacious, Energetic, Funny, Lively, Unreserved.
Your best recent food find:
Harissa.
Most undervalued ingredient:
Parsley.
Rules of conduct in your kitchens:
Have fun, make food love.
One food you detest:
Okra. BLERGH!
One food you can't live without:
Pork butt.
Culinarily speaking, Orange County has the best:
Oranges?
What fast food is your least favorite?
McDonald's. Don't hate me!
Best culinary tip for the home cook.
Keep it simple, make love to the food.
After-work hangout:
With wife and daughter at home. CHEESE.
If you could cook for one person, dead or alive, who would it be and why?
Gordon Ramsay, just so he could rip me apart and call me a donkey. Then I could die in peace.
Favorite celebrity chef.
Gordon Ramsay.
Celebrity chef who should shut up:
Rachael Ray. Again, please don't hate me…
What's next for you?
Secret Kitchen at Harry's. Shhh, it's a secret. 😡
Proudest moment as a chef/restaurant owner:
Making 6 gallons of mayonnaise… by hand.
Favorite music to cook by:
Classic rock!
Best food city in America:
San Francisco.
Favorite restaurant in America:
McClard's Barbecue.
Harry's Deli, 17881 Sky Park Circle, Irvine, CA 92614-6304, (949) 261-2116, harrys-deli.com
Before becoming an award-winning restaurant critic for OC Weekly in 2007, Edwin Goei went by the alias “elmomonster” on his blog Monster Munching, in which he once wrote a whole review in haiku.